Baterries of missiles to guard Delhi skies

New Delhi, Jan 8 (UNI) Two batteries of missiles are likely to be deployed in Delhi to protect the national capital from any air attack, top defence sources said today.

They said the Indian Air Force (IAF) has sought two squadron of Akash missiles worth Rs 1000 crore from the Defence Ministry.

Out of these, the sources said as many as 24 missiles would be deployed in Delhi to protect the skies of the national capital.

However, they said the authorities wanted to further test the effectiveness of this surface to air missile.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Controller Dr Prahlad said the Akash air defence weapon system was completed with the support and help of 300 public and private firms besides more than 1000 scientists.

He said the IAF has requisitioned two Akash squadron (48 missiles) from the Defence Ministry.

Dr Prahlad further said the Army would check the results of the missile from the IAF before placing orders. The Akash missile had already been successfully tested on the platform of T-72 tank, he added.

However, the sources said the Army would also sent proposal/requisition in this regard to the Defence Ministry within two to three months.

They said two batteries of 24 missiles would be deployed in Delhi to protect the national capital from any air attack.

The sources said the radar of Akash, built at a cost of Rs 30 crore, would at one time identify 64 targets and destroy the four ''most dangerous'' among these with eight missiles.

''Two batteries of missiles are enough to protect the skies of Delhi from fighter aircraft, rockets or subsonic cruise missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),'' they added.